The Not-So-Decoy Date
by Dawnstorm101
Summary: Pepper set August 27th as the decoy date for the Stark-Potts wedding, with the real wedding afterwards. But in the triumphant aftermath of the second battle against Thanos, Tony doesn't want to wait any longer. (This fic does contain one single indirect AMATW spoiler, if anybody hasn't seen that yet.)


A/N: Just a quick thing I whipped up when someone pointed out today is the decoy Pepperony wedding date Tony mentioned in their deleted IW scene. This is the universe where everybody lives, cause let's be honest, we all need some unadulterated fluff right now.

* * *

The sun beamed down on the Wakandan field as, in ones and twos, the triumphant heroes stepped through Wong's portal, leaving the horrors of Titan behind. Tony clutched Peter close to him, glancing back to make sure Pepper and Rhodey were right behind them. She flashed him a smile.

Rocket surged past them, bolting for a nearby copse. The other Guardians were on his tail, Peter and Gamora never once letting go of each other's hands. Nearly everyone else who had fought in Wakanda joined them, Steve and Okoye fastest of all. Clint, the Gauntlet tucked under one arm, grabbed Strange and dragged him there. Wakandans were racing onto the field too, coming from the city to throw their arms around reformed spouses and siblings and parents.

Thor stepped through, the last to come before Wong. His arm was still wrapped tightly around Loki, ignoring his brother's grumbling protests. There were still plenty of questions to be answered there, but while he was trapped in his brother's death grip, Tony had no concerns about the trickster escaping and wreaking havoc.

Far more slowly than the others, the remaining people walked towards the copse. When they got there, Steve had Bucky in one arm, Sam in the other. Groot was hidden from view, smushed between the rest of the Guardians. Okoye was helping T'Challa to his feet.

Not far beyond them, Clint was kneeling with Wanda, holding her close. Natasha stood behind them, one hand resting on Wanda's shoulder. The Mind Stone rested in the ground before them, and Strange crouched opposite it, the Time Stone returned to his neck. He twisted his hand, and slowly, a body rebuilt from the Stone.

Vision breathed in a gasp.

Wanda sobbed, pulling him into a kiss. He melted into it, the young couple shaking and crying. But gradually, sunlight dappling them through the leaves, they stilled, soothed by the other's presence. Above them, Clint breathed a sigh of relief, shooting a grateful glance at Strange.

As they kissed, Pepper slid her hand into Tony's. Her ring brushed over his skin, settling over his finger, and he glanced down at it. "It's August 27th," he realized.

Pepper looked at him, furrowing her brows. "And?"

He held up their joined hands, tilting hers so the diamond flashed in the sunlight. "The date you picked."

"The decoy date, Tony."

He slid his arm free of Peter, letting Rhodey take the kid, turning to catch her other hand. "I don't care," he said. "We've waited long enough, Pep."

She stared up at him, a smile tugging at her lips, but she was ever the practical one. "Tony, we're wearing undersuits, and we're both cut up."

"And you've never looked more beautiful," Tony assured her. "I know you want the ceremony, and so do I, but we can still have it later, can't we? But right now, the weather's perfect, all of our friends are here, and you can't get much more decoy than this."

She tilted her head, conceding the points, but added, "Happy and Harley aren't here. Or Nick and Maria."

"I can fix that," Wong volunteered. Scott leaned over to say something to him.

"And we can help with the blood," Clint chimed in, clapping Natasha's shoulder.

Tony arched an eyebrow. "You can?"

"I'm more than a bow and arrow, Stark. Somebody give me a cloth."

Wong disappeared through another portal, and Clint and Natasha set to work. They managed to clean up most of the blood on their faces, fixing their hair. Tony opened his palm and ordered the nanites there, settling in a pair of simple golden bands inside a little white box. When Harley got there, Tony handed it over to him.

"It's about damn time, Stark," Fury said, smiling broadly.

"Would you do me the honor of being my Maid of Honor?" Pepper asked Maria.

"Of course," she said, smiling, stepping into place. Tony glanced back, but Rhodey was already at his side.

Wong had brought someone else, too – Hope. Scott broke away from their kiss, grinning, to say, "I can marry you guys."

"You can?" Hope asked.

"I was on house arrest for two years. I was bored. There was an internet thing."

"Works for me," Tony said. "Get over here, ant guy."

"Ant- _Man_ ," Scott grumbled, but he jogged over and took his place. The others formed a crowd, with Peter front and center. "All right, before we get into the mushy stuff, does anybody have any objections to this marriage? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I still think you're too good for him, Pepper."

"Rhodey!" Tony protested.

"Why are you scolding him? He's right."

"Pepper!"

She laughed. "That would be a no, Scott."

"Sweet. Any vows, or do you two just want to jump straight to the rings and kissing?"

"I do have a vow to make," Tony said. "No more surprises. No more Thanoses, no more Ultrons, no more Lokis – no offence, Loki."

Loki rolled his eyes.

Tony let go of Pepper to shrug off his nanite jacket. "No more arc reactors. Because, as of this moment, Iron Man is retiring. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Pepper, helping you kick CEO ass and raise a family. Our family. From this moment on, you and every little you we may have are my entire world."

The nanite jacket shrank and hardened, transforming into a red-and-gold flashlight. Tony brushed his thumb over it, giving the color scheme a nostalgic smile, then adding a splash of blue before handing it to Peter.

He took it. "Um… Why are you handing me a flashlight?"

Tony sighed. "I'm passing off the torch, kid."

"But… this is a flashlight?"

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. "Brits call them torches. Come on, you've used your awful British accent on me a billion times when we're watching Harry Potter and Doctor Who, you should know this."

Comprehension brightened Peter's face. "Ohh! Cool! Sweet! Wait, does this mean I'm Iron Man now?"

"No, you're still Spider-Man-"

"Wait, why aren't you passing the torch off to me? I have a suit, too," Rhodey protested.

Tony arched an eyebrow. "Cause you're old, dude."

Rhodey gasped. "I am _barely_ older than you, hotshot."

"But you are decades older than him," Tony pointed out, gesturing to Peter. "Look, it's about the symbolism of the thing, Rhodey.

"Then why not give him a real torch?"

"Because the nanites can't make wood. Or actual flames. Can we get back to my wedding now?"

Rhodey crossed his arms, mock-pouting. "I _suppose_."

Pepper cupped Tony's cheek, turning him back to her. She was beaming, soft and radiant, her hair alight in the sunlight. "And I vow to always support you, and to love you no matter how many times you put the suit back on."

"Pep, you know me so well."

She chuckled quietly. "You're a hero, Tony, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Just promise to come home. And change the diapers."

Tony leaned in, and so did she. "I promise," he said, his breath tickling her lips.

"Ah, nope, not yet," Scott interrupted, nudging them apart. "The rings, uh- Harvey?"

"Harley," he corrected, holding up the box. Pepper picked up Tony's ring.

"Pepper," Scott started, "do you take Tony to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, to honor, and to cherish?"

"I do," Pepper said, steady and unwavering. She slid the ring onto his finger, a perfect fit.

"Tony, do you take Pepper to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, to honor, and to cherish?"

Tony slid her ring on, cradling her hand. "I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by some internet thing, I pronounce you husband and wife." Scott beamed. "You may kiss the bride."

And this time, they kissed. And a decade later, it felt like their first kiss all over again. He buried his hands in her soft hair, savoring the warmth of her, the sweetness of her lips against his. She cupped his head with one hand, her other wrapping around his back, holding him close. The others were clapping – the jokesters were cheering them on like frat boys – but in that moment, it was all background noise.

He even managed not to make fun of Scott whispering "Oh my _god_ , I just married Tony Stark and Pepper Potts."

As they finally separated, flecks of light fell around them. Tony and Pepper looked up, smiling at the mixture of scarlet, orange, and emerald sparkles drifting through the air, thin lightning flashing between some of them. He glanced into the crowd, where Wanda and Stephen were holding their hands up, and Thor was holding up his own and one of Loki's. Pepper grinned, the lights reflecting in her eyes like stars.

Tony drank in the sight, committing this perfect moment to memory. _Just this once, everybody's happy._

Behind a nearby bush, a flash caught his eye. Happy noticed, too. "BERT!" he yelled, sprinting after the fleeing cameraman. "How did you even get here? _Get back here_!"

 _Everybody except… Happy. Why is his name Happy?_

"Whoops," Wong said. "He said he was a friend."

"Hap- Happy!" Tony tried, but the bodyguard was already long gone. "That dude _seriously_ needs a girlfriend. Anybody? Nat, you're si-"

"Finish that sentence. I dare you."

"That's a no," Tony concluded.

But no threat, affectionate or otherwise, could ruin this moment. As the others started to disband into small groups, he pulled Pepper close again, kissing her cheek. "So. Honeymoon?"

"I say we make it a month."

"You know you can't stay away from work for that long. You love it too much."

She sighed. "I know. Two weeks it is."

Tony closed his eyes, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


End file.
